Former Roncalli teacher turns to advocacy after 7th Circuit loss
After three years of fighting in federal court for her job, Lynn Starkey is shifting her focus.
Marilyn Odendahl
Articles
‘Law bots’ not taking over attorneys’ in-house jobs
In the panic that came with the COVID-19 pandemic, corporate legal departments went looking for their contracts to figure out which provisions were binding and which were eliminated under the “Act of God” clause. That scramble accelerated the growing trend of in-house attorneys adopting and using technology geared toward the legal industry.
Promises coming due: Republican lawmakers struggle to craft abortion ban that satisfies anti-abortion constituents
For decades, Indiana GOP lawmakers have promised their constituents that, given the chance, they would ban abortion. But in the first week of a special session, the legislators are learning that saying what they are going to do is easier than actually doing it.
SB 1 fanning worries about recruiting: Attorneys concerned abortion ban could make IN unattractive to new hires
Indianapolis attorney William Rosenbaum said he sees a link between the abortion ban being crafted in the Indiana Statehouse and the number of lawyer jobs being filled in Indiana. Rosenbaum’s firm, Rosenbaum Law P.C., is among more than 200 Hoosier businesses that recently signed a letter calling on lawmakers to maintain access to reproductive health.
Providing ‘the right services at the right time in the right place’: Faegre Drinker’s John Stanley leads team focused on supporting attorneys
If John Stanley and his team of roughly 400 do their jobs correctly, no one will notice. Stanley oversees a wide range of behind-the-scenes activities at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP that attorneys and their clients might not pay much attention to unless whatever object or service they want is missing or malfunctioning. Across 21 global offices, he and his team handle such matters as operations administration, real estate, travel, hospitality and research and information.
Bankruptcy filings still falling, reversal expected
Even as Americans are paying more at the gas pump and grocery checkout, filings for bankruptcy protection have continued to decline, dropping 17.7% nationally and 19.1% in the 7th Circuit for the year ending June 30, 2022.
Indiana landlords sue over eviction moratorium, seek more that $500K in damages
Seventeen Indiana landlords have filed a lawsuit against Gov. Eric Holcomb, seeking more than $500,000 in damages for unpaid rent and loss of property value caused by the moratoriums placed on evictions during 2020.
Indiana House receives abortion bill, sets schedule
Senate Bill 1 — which exposed divides over abortion in the Republican caucus — has arrived in the Indiana House, where it has already picked up three sponsors and leadership has set a schedule that includes one day for the committee hearing.
In affirming dismissal of Roncalli discrimination lawsuit, Easterbrook advises starting with statute
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has again sided with the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in an employment discrimination lawsuit filed by Lynn Starkey, a Roncalli High School guidance counselor who was fired for being in a same-sex marriage.
COA: Intimidation statute not vague
Even though a man waived his challenge to the Indiana intimidation statute, the Court of Appeals of Indiana still addressed his arguments and found the law was not vague under the facts and circumstances of his case.
7th Circuit uphold dismissal of gun accessory manufacturer’s complaint
The owner of a firearm accessories manufacturing facility in southern Indiana who claimed his rights against search and seizure were violated when federal agents raided his business got a lesson on the Federal Rules of Evidence and the importance of precedent from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
COA: Evidentiary issue not yet ripe for appeal
An Indiana man who wanted the jury to know about a trial court’s order tossing a CHINS petition has been told by the Court of Appeals of Indiana to come back after his case has been tried.
Justices decline to hear IRT’s COVID coverage case but agree to revisit criminal case decisions
The Indiana Supreme Court has brought the curtain down on the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s push to get its insurance company to cover losses incurred when the pandemic forced the show to close in the spring of 2020.
Shhhhh, bar exam in progress
Applicants with dreams of becoming Indiana lawyers are sitting for the bar exam Tuesday and Wednesday at the Indiana Convention Center, marking the first time the July test has been given in-person since 2019.
Time winding down for White House to fill Kanne vacancy
The Indiana seat on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals left vacant by the sudden death of Judge Michael Kanne gives the Biden administration the opportunity to flip the seat. But with Republicans largely expected to win back the Senate in November, the time needed to select, nominate and confirm a judge by the end of this year is rapidly slipping away.
Complaint filed over voter registration practices in Tippecanoe County
A dispute over voter registration has erupted in Tippecanoe County, with two voting rights organizations alleging the county has been asking for more proof of residency than required by law and the county clerk asserting the organizations misunderstand the registration process and have mischaracterized the situation.
7th Circuit finds investment firm shielded from fiduciary duty claim by power of attorney
An opinion from a state appellate court that was issued while the Southern Indiana District Court was considering a motion to dismiss in a fiduciary duty dispute did not change the federal judge’s decision to grant the motion, but it did alter the reasoning on which the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed.
Newness of ‘long COVID’ requires new arguments, detailed medical records
While attorneys say they have few answers for those who are calling their offices seeking help for the lingering debilitative symptoms of COVID-19, legal professionals are certain that obtaining disability benefits for long COVID is going to take a long fight.
The right partner: Merger with Katz Korin Cunningham has Stoll Keenon Ogden looking to grow
For years, Katz Korin Cunningham turned down invitations from larger firms to discuss merging, saying it was happiest being independent. But in Stoll Keenon Ogden, it found a like-minded partner that had also spurned combination offers and took pride in being self-made.
Working hand in hand: Advisory board helps DCS improve by sharing parents’ experiences, opinions
The Indiana Birth Parent Advisory Board was assembled in 2019 at the prompting of Department of Child Services Director Terry Stigdon. Along with feedback, Stigdon said she wanted parents on the advisory board to provide guidance and input on DCS policies and practices.